Improvement in anchor-trippers



R. C. STURGES.

ANCHOR-TRIPPERS.

No. 177,295. Patented May 9,1876.

ILFEYRS. FHOTO-LITHOGRAFHER. WASHINBTON. D 0.'

UNITED STA'rEs- PTENT'OFFIon,

RETIRE G. STURGES, -BOSTON, ASSIGNOR TO SYLVANUS N. STAPLES AND WILLIAMSH. PHILLIPS, OF TAUNTQN, MASSAOHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN ANCHOR-TRI PPERS.I

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 177,295, dated May 9,1876; application filed April 15, 1876.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, RETIRE O. Strone-Es, of Boston, Iin the county ofSufi'olk and State of Massachusetts, have invented an ImprovedAnchor-Tripper, of which the following is a specification This inventionrelates to an -anchor-tripper, or a device to hold and permit thedischarge of an anchor from the bow of a vessel; and the inventionconsists of a guard-plate arranged on top of the rail of the vessel, andprovided with a projection beveled inwardly from its top, forming arecess to receive and engage the fluke of the anchor. This guardplateembraces the rail, and guards and protects it. The flanges at the sideof the plate serve to retain it in position, and, as shown, theguard-plate is also provided with a chock, provided with afriction-roller, to lessen the friction on lines being drawn over therail.

Figure 1 is a top view of the forward portion of a vessel, showing myanchor-trippers in position on the rail, an anchor being held by one ofthem. Fig. 2 is a modified form. Fig. 3 is an end view of the trippershown in Fig. 1; and Fig. 4 is a side view.

The tripper is composed of a plate or shell, a, provided with sidefianges or lguards b b, in practice about two inches deep from thebottom of the plate, it being usually one inch thick, more or less,thereby making the guard and plate about three inches from the points 1to 2. (See Fig. 3.) Rising from the top of the plate, as shown in Figs.l and 3, is a projection, c, With a curved or proper shaped notch 01'recess, d, with the portion thereof slanting inwardly'from its topsurface in order to present an acute-angled edge to fit and receive theportion 3 of the fluke of the anchor g, attached, as usual, to a chain,h, and

provided with a rope, i, to confine the anchor! head l to the cat-headj.

When the anchor is being raised over the rail k, about which the'guard-plate is fitted, the sides or flanges b present a smooth hardsurface, against which the anchor inoves, and when high enough, theportion 3 of the fluke is placed in the recess d, and hooks over theinclined portion e of the projection c, and as long as the head oftheanchor is held up, as

shown in Fig. 1, the anchor-fluke Will engage the edge e, and beretained in position thereon; but when the head of the anchor is allowedto drop, the fluke swings about the ronnded edge 4 of the projection,and slips from the guard into the water.

In some instances, on steamers or large vessels, I propose to make theprojection c as a separate piece, and pivot it to the plate a at m,(seelFig. 2,) and provide it with a suitable pin or looking or-unlocking device, n, and when it is desired to loosen and swing off theanchor, it is only necessary to draw the pin n, when the independentblock forming the projection Will turn. on the' pivot, as shown-indotted lines, and discharge the anchor.

Near the opposite end of the plate I provide a pin or chock, o, on whichI place a frictionroller, p, and ropesvor lines drawn over the plate,either in front or back of the chock, will be relieved from muchfriction, thereby making it easier for the Seaman to move such lines,and save wear on the rail. These guards are placed on the rail at eachside the vessel.

The anchor may be raised or lowered in any usual way, and the cat-headmay be of any usual form.

The extreme outer end of the projection c is beveled, as shown at r,Fig. 4, and this facilitates the easy passage of the anchor over the endof the 'tripper.

Anchors are usually very'heavy, and exert great strain on the holder,and, by reason of the flanges embracing, the rail, additional strengthand durability are attained.

I claim- 1. The plate a, adapted to be fitted to the surface of therail, and provided on its upper surface with a projection, c, and arecess, d, to receive, and shaped to retain, the anchorfiuke, or permitits discharge therefrom, all substantially as described. w

2. The plate a and guards b, in combination with a projection, c, on thetop of the plate, and'shaped, as described and shown, to re` ceive andoperate in connection with the fluke, as set forth. i

3. The guard-plate, in combination with the pivoted projection c,adapted to retain or discharge the fluke, and a looking device to per-

